There have been a number of attempts to use computer programs to aid a user in achieving a desired goal. Such approaches relate to self-improvement (e.g. exercise, weight loss, self-esteem, self-actualization, and the like), recovery (e.g. 12 step programs, stop smoking, and the like), and health management (e.g. medication reminders, prescription re-fills, and the like). With the advent of smart-phones and processing capable devices such as PDA's, tablet devices, google-glass, and other mobile or wearable computing devices, there has been an attempt to move computer aided assistance capabilities to these mobile devices.
In the prior art, for example, health care professionals have attempted to provide patient management interfaces and applications that can be computer assisted. To date, situations that require monitoring, follow up and ongoing coaching are accomplished via patient/caregiver (e.g. doctor or nurse) communication, either in person or through some other communication. Often, the optimal clinical care path—also referred to as the treatment protocol—for each patient depends on a very narrow set of either objective data (e.g. weight, blood pressure, temperature, blood samples, or other information) or subjective data (pain level, energy level, ability to use a limb, breathing comfort, and the like). Today, unless the patient is in almost daily contact with his caregiver, it is entirely incumbent upon the patient to understand and execute the most appropriate actions based on this narrow set of information. Even this can be time consuming, discouraging, and impractical and may be a burden that prevents the patient from fully and more completely participating in recovery or management of their condition.
In other instances, the patient is provided with a generic “what you can expect” pamphlet associated with the patient's condition, written to explain to the patient what changes might be expected and how to modify behavior in light of the condition. These brochures place the burden entirely on the patient to figure out how to line up their experience with the information presented. In addition, the vast majority of patients are not equipped or sufficiently knowledgeable to figure out how to evaluate their experiences in the context of the clinical care path.
Even where computer aided treatment protocols are used, they have typically been reactive and require significant pre-existing knowledge and insight on the part of the patient. This is largely due to the fact that computer assisted treatment protocols look at only small fraction of the information that is relevant to successfully treating and managing a medical condition. The subset of data is simply collected, logged and transmitted with very little to nothing done with it to make use of it for the patient and to successfully fit it into the broader treatment protocol and condition management. Such systems end up failing to achieve intended goals.